Blood Soaked Moon
by AmberandAbsinthe
Summary: One year later, Ichabod and Masbeth return to Sleepy Hollow when another series of strange events begin. Can Ichabod recover from his depression before it consumes him and costs him the lives of an entire town?
1. Depression

Authors Note: Alrighty, I'm assuming you all realize I don't own the characters, either the wonderful Washington Irvine or someone of the like does and that goes without need of being said. This is based on the movie. I don't have a title for this yet as of the beginning of chapter one but once I have one then I promise to get it up there. This is kind of a test to see if anyone likes the story, if they do I'll most certainly continue writing it. I promise that this story has an interesting plot filled with twists and turns once it gets rolling. In later chapters it will also explore the headless horseman and his personality as well as his possible background. On with the show...  
  
Ichabod looked out the window of his carriage gloomily. He never had wanted to return to this horrible place; it held nothing but all-too-recent bad memories for him. However it was not his decision to be sent here, it was his superior's. Therefore this left him in a situation that he was helpless to avoid.  
  
Not too long after he had returned to New York with Katrina and Young Masbeth from Sleepy Hollow, his entire life seemed to fall out from under him. Katrina had brought him so much happiness, being the only member of female company who ever dared to be attracted to him, the strange and morbid constable. He should have known the happiness could not last.  
  
After he had made his statement to the Burgomaster, one which stated that the guilty party had been killed in self-defense, Ichabod had more then proven his work's usefulness in deducing the killer. Unfortunately the Burgomaster still wished to see more proof before using the system in the courts.  
  
No more then a month after Ichabod's return to New York Katrina seemed to drift further and further from him. Young Masbeth had gotten a job as an assistant page in the city and she was in charge of looking after him. She would ride into town to fetch him and be gone for increasingly long amounts of time.  
  
Nearly three weeks later he was dismissed from his work early and was on his way home when he spied Katrina in the company of a young man. When he asked her about it later she regretfully in formed him that it was a local blacksmith whom she had been seeing for quite a time. She was worried about telling him of her activities because she didn't wish to hurt him.  
  
Needless to say she moved out within the week, leaving Ichabod behind in a deep depression. Young Masbeth tried as hard as he could to help his guardian cheer up but despite his valiant efforts Ichabod drifted more and more into his own world of sadness and despair.  
  
Now, here he was; in a carriage on his way back to Sleepy Hollow on business. A new set of happenings had begun in the town and, because of his familiarity with the area, Ichabod was sent to investigate. Young Masbeth sat opposite him in the carriage; sleeping on the way back to his birthplace.  
  
Glad to have his mind distracted from the subject of Katrina, who'd left him almost ten months ago, Ichabod opened the leather bound journal that lay in his lap. His eyes scanned over fresh pages of the dark book, looking for the information on the latest happenings in Sleepy Hollow.  
  
On the second page of his freshly started book Ichabod found what he was looking for and began to read his neatly printed writing. The victims had been found in open ground, much as before, he noted. This time, unlike the last, the killer had not been so neat in his work; a sure sign that this was NOT the work of the Headless Horseman.  
  
There had been five victims; two were alive and three were dead. The dead were found with their throats torn open savagely, as if ripped apart by some wild, bloodthirsty beast in the night. Indeed that's what this may be dismissed as. The other two, who still lived, were found near the church yard in a comatose state. After a night of rest they would awaken in the morning, not remembering a thing but feeling very weak and very thirsty from the moment their eyes opened at sunrise.  
  
Ichabod looked up as the carriage came to stop. Through the window he saw the familiar deer head posts that marked the entrance to the town of Sleepy Hollow. Masbeth stirred in his seat across the coach, his eyes falling on the same sight. He yawned and opened the door, landing on the dirt road and looking around at the buildings. Ichabod followed shortly after, assisting his ward in lifting their luggage from the coach before it road off down the trail.  
  
"Where will we be staying sir?" Masbeth wondered. Over the past year Ichabod had quickly learned the boys first name to be Jonathan, just like his father's had been before his death.  
  
"I'm not sure; perhaps we should go into town and ask." Ichabod suggested, looking out at a town that seemed not to have changed at all since he had departed.  
  
The two made their way to the familiar buildings slowly. They were greeted in much the same way Ichabod had been when he first came to investigate the murders of the Headless Horseman. Windows were being shut all over, but not without a slight bit of hesitation from some at recognizing either Jonathan or Ichabod.  
  
"It doesn't seem to have changed much since we were both here last." Jonathan observed, looking first towards the cemetery and then over in the direction where they had rebuilt his fathers watchtower.  
  
"So it would seem on the outside I suppose." The constable gave a small smile at the boy in seeing what he was looking at. In all his thoughts of what memories this place would bring back for him he hadn't once thought of what the boy would remember. His father had been killed here after all.  
  
As they neared the church they stopped abruptly; they could hear a soft voice humming a tune nearby. Ichabod looked at young Masbeth quizzically and the boy shrugged. Slowly they moved towards the voice, rounding the corner to where the church rested and met up with the road that led to the Western Woods and the Van Tassel's old estate.  
  
Ichabod and the boy stopped once more as they came across the owner of the voice they had heard a moment earlier. It was a young woman who was carrying a basket filled with herbs and flowers. She had her back turned to them and was picking a few wildflowers that grew near the side of the road.  
  
When the young woman finished and turned around she froze, her eyes landing on the two strangers who were watching her. One was a boy with short black hair and curious brown eyes and the other was a young man, perhaps a few years older then her, with wild black hair and tired chocolate eyes.  
  
Ichabod's breath caught in his throat as he saw the girl. She had fiery red hair that fell in waves down to her waist yet she wore it up in manner that kept it behind her and out of her eyes. Her dress was an elegant yet graceful mix of forest green and a cream color with a corset top and that fit her curves perfectly and fell around her feet, on which she wore leather boots. It wasn't until her noticed that her emerald eyes were assessing him as well that he quickly cleared his throat and looked away to hide his blush.  
  
"Hello." The girl began slowly, sensing discomfort from the older of the two men before her.  
  
"Hello..." The boy spoke in place of the man who was looking away. "My name is Jonathan Masbeth and this is Constable Ichabod Crane from New York. He's been sent here to investigate the recent... um... events in town."  
  
"Constable?" The girl repeated and looked up at the man who was still looking over at the church as if there was something of interest there. "Well my name is Diana Aphrodine. I suppose you two will be needing a place to stay while you're in town?" She sighed.  
  
"Yes, actually we were just looking for a place." The boy confirmed.  
  
"Well then I suppose the two of you can stay with me if you like. I'm afraid my home isn't very large at all... but with everything that's going on recently I doubt you'll find anywhere else to stay." Diana offered with a warm smile.  
  
"That's very kind of you, thank you Miss. Aphrodine." Ichabod spoke up, looking at the girl now.  
  
"So you do speak! I was beginning to wonder!" The girl joked. Masbeth chuckled a bit as the constable flushed. "Come with me, I live halfway between here and the hillside manor."  
  
"Do you mean the Van Tassel's old home?" Ichabod inquired almost immediately.  
  
"Well Peter Van Dane, the notary, banker, and current head of the town elders lives there now. I have heard that that is where the Van Tassel's once lived however, though that was before I moved to Sleepy Hollow." Diana supplied as she led them across the bridge towards the road that led to her home as well as the old estate.  
  
"When did you move to Sleepy Hollow?" Jonathan wondered.  
  
"Me? A couple months ago," Diana answered. She looked over at the constable with concern; he seemed to have an air of sorrow around him. "Are you alright?"  
  
"What? Oh! Yes, yes I'm fine, just thinking is all." He offered her a less than half hearted smile of reassurance.  
  
"Well if you are certain..." She trailed off deciding not to press the matter. Maybe later she could speak to him, when the boy was not around. Until then she supposed what was on her mind would have to wait. 


	2. Concern

As the three rounded the dirt road they came in view of a small, freshly built cottage tucked into clearing in the woods. Beside the main building there was a small stable and a well. Despite the gloom that hung around Sleepy Hollow both Ichabod and Jonathan had to admit that there was something different about this home.  
  
"You built all this in two months?" The boy questioned in wonder as he surveyed the craftsmanship of the home.  
  
"Well I did not build it on my own." Diana led the way to the door, "The new blacksmith in town and a few others were rather eager to assist." She let out a chuckle at the thought as she opened the door to allow her guests in.  
  
The cabin provided a very welcome warmth in place of the chilly winter air. A fire was burning in the fire place, calmly providing a homey glow that brought comfort to Diana's guests despite themselves. Across from the fireplace was a couch and table as well as a loom near the door on the other side of the room.  
  
"Through that door is the kitchen and dining area," Diana told them. "From there are the stairs that lead to the bed rooms. Despite my living here alone the blacksmith built another room which is occasionally used by a traveler if one comes by. Constable you may use that room, the door is closed if you have difficulty figuring out which one is mine." The three entered the home and closed the door gently.  
  
"Thank you miss." Ichabod nodded.  
  
"Of course..." Diana returned, "... and you..." She turned to the boy and looked thoughtful, "...I believe you might enjoy sleeping on the couch in the library." She mused as his eyes seemed to light up.  
  
"You have a library?" Jonathan asked so enthusiastically that even Ichabod had to laugh a bit. He had to admit, young Jonathan Masbeth was a bright boy who loved to read whenever he had a chance.  
  
"Of course! It's upstairs between the bedrooms; you're welcome to read any book you like so long as you're here." She permitted. "If either of you get hungry during your stay you are more then welcome to use the pantry, the access to it is through the closed door in the kitchen." She paused and looked at Ichabod who was gazing out the window in a sort of daze. "Why don't you head up to the library and see if you can find any interesting books you'd like to read? I think I should like to talk to the constable for a moment." She whispered to Jonathan.  
  
"Alright, thank you miss." The boy looked excited at the suggestion. He turned and quickly ran up the stairs, secretly hoping that the young woman whose house they would be staying in could help Ichabod somehow.  
  
Diana watched as the young boy bolted up the stairs with his bags in a hurry, eager to learn from her library. She could tell from the moment she met the boy that he was interested in that sort of thing; he had much too great a vocabulary to not be a scholarly type. She turned to look towards the constable now; the man was looking out the window, apparently deep in thought.  
  
"I do hope that during your stay you will speak to me," Diana expressed, standing still as she watched her guest give a start.  
  
"I am not in a mood for speaking at the moment." The constable replied, turning to look at his hostess.  
  
"So I've noticed... I realize it is not my place, having just met you, but you certainly should stop brooding. You are worrying that poor boy upstairs you know." She looked up in reference to Masbeth.  
  
"I have my reasons for being in the mood I'm in. As for the boy, he'll be fine; he's seen far worse then a melancholy constable in his time." Ichabod muttered in slight annoyance of the girl who was meddling with his personal matters. What did she know? He'd lost the girl he loved.  
  
"I don't doubt that the boy will be fine." Diana's eyes met Ichabod's and the constable forced his own away.  
  
"What business is it of yours to tell a stranger what to do?" Ichabod snapped, surprising himself.  
  
"It's not my business Mr. Crane, I simply would hate to see any man so nice and young as yourself waste his life away. Nobody should miss the beauty that life here on earth has to offer; anyone who spends their time dwelling on the past is overlooking so much happiness that they were meant to receive. Now if you'll excuse me Mr. Crane I have a horse that needs tending." Diana brushed quickly past him and out the door, heading towards the stable.  
  
Ichabod watched out the window as the young woman disappeared through the doors of the shelter beside the home. He hadn't missed the note of hurt in her voice as she spoke to him. Snapping at her the way he had had not been intentional but he had done so all the same. The girl was nice enough to take two strange young men into her home when she knew nobody else would be willing to do the same, and what did he do? In an unexpected moment he offended her and drove her out of her own house.  
  
It was not as though Diana had been trying to hurt him. He had yelled at her because she was trying to help him. He didn't know what possessed him to have such a sudden outburst but it frightened him. His depression since Katrina left was getting far worse; perhaps Diana was right and he shouldn't dwell on the past... he just wished he knew what he could possibly look forward to in the future.  
  
With a sigh Ichabod searched the western woods with his eyes through the window, almost expecting to see a Headless Horseman standing there, waiting to end his miserable, lonely life. If all he was good for now was hurting people maybe it would be for the best if he did.  
  
"Aren't you going to apologize to her sir?" Ventured a voice from behind Ichabod. The constable turned around and caught sight of Jonathan standing in the doorway, looking at him with a mixture of concern and determination... for what he doubted even the boy knew.  
  
"Perhaps," Ichabod's eyes returned to the woods.  
  
"Perhaps?" Mabeth's voice seemed disappointed. "Sir, she never met us before today and yet she offered her home to us. She was only trying to help-"  
  
"I know! I know..." Ichabod was startled as yet again he yelled at someone who was intending to help him in his confusion. He turned and opened his mouth to apologize to the boy but before he could Jonathan was out the door and headed into the stables himself, leaving Ichabod to his own thoughts and demons.  
  
Jonathan entered the barn quickly, injured by his guardian's angry tone of voice when he suggested that he make amends with Diana. He stopped in his tracks when he saw the woman of the house standing outside the holding pen of a horse, looking at him as if she had no idea what he was doing here.  
  
"I-I'm sorry to bother you miss-" He stuttered but was cut off.  
  
"Shh..." Diana pressed a finger to her lips. "Come here," she gestured that he should come and he hesitated. "Don't worry, I'm not going to punish you for following me, I just want to show you something." She chuckled.  
  
"Alright..." Jonathan approached her slowly, stopping beside her. He'd grown a lot and now, at the age of 12, stood at her height. Quizzically he looked at her, not taking his eyes off of her own.  
  
"Look in there." She pointed in the holding pen. The fence was high but he could easily see over it as he turned to follow her finger.  
  
Never in his short life had Jonathan Masbeth seen such a remarkable sight. Oh he'd seen plenty of things that were unbelievable... but never anything like this. There, standing no more then ten feet from them was the most beautiful horse he'd ever seen. The horse was the purest white, with a muscular yet graceful build and a long ivory mane and tale that swished occasionally. It's eyes were what made the horse so unusual however, instead of the usual black that one found so often in horses this mare's eyes were a crystal shade of blue.  
  
"What do you think?" Diana asked as she looked over at the horse herself.  
  
"I've never seen anything like it..." Jonathan gasped in awe. Well perhaps that wasn't true... but he was not about to tell Diana of the giant coal black steed whose eyes glowed like hot embers when it crossed through the gate between this world and hell.  
  
"She's finally full grown. I found her when she was a colt; her mother had been killed by hunters who thought her to be a unicorn. I've been raising her ever since." Diana told him, taking pride in the beautiful young mount.  
  
"What's her name?" The boy wondered with a curious glance at Diana.  
  
"Ivy Rose, but she prefers to be called Ivy." Diana smiled a little as the horse whinnied and pawed the ground. "You've got your oats girl, go ahead and eat!" She called to the horse before turning to the boy beside her. "So what brings you out here? I was certain you'd be reading."  
  
"Ichabod yelled at me." Jonathan answered her.  
  
"He did? What ever for?" Diana crossed her arms and leaned against a post.  
  
"I asked if he was going to apologize to you." He admitted.  
  
"You did, did you? Well that was very kind of you Jonathan but I'm afraid that decision is his to make." She thanked him sincerely. "Now tell me, why in all the world would those batty old officials in New York send a constable down here to investigate what's been going on? It seems to me that Sleepy Hollow is more then a little bit out of Mr. Crane's jurisdiction."  
  
"Have you heard about what happened here about a year ago?" Jonathan wondered, trying to decide the best way to say this.  
  
"I'm assuming you mean the murders? The ones the Headless Horseman committed under the command of the black witch that was, at the time, Lady Van Tassel?"  
  
"Yes. Well I used to live here in Sleepy Hollow, my father was the fifth person killed by the horseman. The night of my father's death Mr. Crane arrived from New York, they'd sent him here to test his theories out... Mr. Crane believes in proving the guilt or innocence of someone before punishing him."  
  
"I see."  
  
"At any rate, his superior's sent him here and he was the man who investigated the murders. He crossed blades with the horseman more then once and was nearly beheaded himself. One day we actually found the horseman's grave, as well as the gateway to hell that he rode from. Eventually the horseman's head was restored to him by Mr. Crane just in time to save Katrina Van Tassel; after which the horseman took the witch back through the gateway with him."  
  
"So that is the story? Whatever happened to Katrina Van Tassel?" Diana wondered.  
  
"Katrina came with us to New York... she lived with us in Mr. Crane's home for some time before she began seeing a blacksmith and moved out."  
  
"Ah... so I presume that is the reason for Mr. Crane's distress?" The redhead looked at the boy.  
  
"Yes, he didn't take it well."  
  
"Well I suppose you and I should be getting into the house; the sun is setting and I don't want you to be out here in the cold at night. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if my guest fell ill. You go on ahead and I'll follow after I lock up the stables." Diana watched as the boy obediently left for the house. She hoped that the boy's guardian would apologize to him before she returned. 


	3. Curiosity

Authors Note: Yay! Here's everyone's favorite Hessian!!!!!  
  
Almost one whole year had passed since the day his head had been restored to him and he had brought that damned witch down to hell. Now the former Hessian mercenary slept, for the most part, soundly in his grave.  
  
Despite the witch now being in hell and the fact that his head was returned the horseman still kept his consciousness... something he hadn't fully had when the witch had controlled him. So his body now lay complete beneath the soil that surrounded the tree of the dead but his consciousness itself as well as that of Daredevil, his faithful mount, floated endlessly in the supernatural husk that made up the cursed tree that housed his gateway between worlds.  
  
Though one who knew the legends of him would suspect him to be the vengeful, murderous specter that the black witch had used him as, he was not at all what one might expect. In death he'd had the time to think clearly. He was never as entirely ruthless as his stories told, but he had been a killer who'd enjoyed his work.  
  
He loved carnage and blood, in life as well as in death, but he was not so inhuman that he would continue to ride forth and destroy innocent lives of his own free will. Even as a mercenary he never enjoyed killing innocents. There was no satisfaction in seeing a woman or child die. The murders the witch had his body commit haunted him even now because of it.  
  
He could still remember the helpless feeling his small amount of consciousness had as his body went hacking into the floor boards, searching for the hiding boy in the home of the brave blacksmith.  
  
He was a Hessian mercenary, highly respected and feared. He loved blood and death... he loved to kill. The most satisfying thing to him had always been to ride his fearless steed into battle, sword drawn as he expertly beheaded his enemies.  
  
Now that he was dead and in a state of suspended consciousness in the tree of the dead, the 'headless horseman' was glad to finally be able to rest. He felt a connection with the ground he was buried in and it had become like a home to his tortured soul. He was not confined to hell he was tied to this plane; able to watch over his grave with Daredevil at his side for all eternity. The only part of this that was a punishment was that he was trapped on this side of the gate.  
  
The drifting awareness of the horseman was currently pondering a situation at hand that he did not understand. He could feel through his connection with the land that the boy who had restored to him his skull had returned to Sleepy Hollow along with the offspring of one of the men the witch had him kill.  
  
This was not the only presence that could be sensed however. Not long ago the horseman had felt several supernatural forces enter his woods. He could not feel them long enough to discover what they were however although he was well aware of the fact that they remained in the trees, hidden from him.  
  
A short time after the supernatural forces had entered his domain the killings had started to occur. First came the victim maimed and torn apart near the remains of the old windmill where his headless corpse had chased the girl called Katrina. Then the one found nearly beheaded in the forest, and finally the one whose head had been torn clear from it's body, found two days later in the roots of a tree near the church.  
  
Oh but it did not stop there. There were two others; two that were not killed but whom he knew should have been. These two he found to be most puzzling. He believed he knew what it was that had attacked those two... although at the same time he knew that explanation made no sense. If it was indeed what he thought it was then the two victims should have been dead.  
  
These cases intrigued him more and more as he thought about them. The possibility of what the attacker might be presented him with his own possibility. He could very well regain the freedom of riding Daredevil at night once more. Though he would still be dead the freedom to ride where he pleased was a tempting thought.  
  
With this in mind the Hessian concentrated on watching the youth who had returned to Sleepy Hollow. There was something different about the youth; something darker that was not there before. Regardless of that though the horseman knew it was the same young man, and he knew what he was here for.  
  
If all went well the investigator would be the key component to regaining his freedom... because through the investigator he could see what was happening. Whatever he found out the horseman would know and once he knew what he was looking for it was simply a matter of time. 


	4. Trust

When Diana had finally secured her horse and made her way back into her home she was pleased to see that Ichabod was talking with Jonathan. The constable stood at the base of the stairs, which he had obviously been coming down, and the boy was standing near the dining table. As she reached the door to the kitchen herself both of the men stopped talking and turned to her.  
  
"Well I'm glad to see you two, at least, have settled your differences." She smirked at the boy.  
  
"Perhaps you should run upstairs Jonathan; I have something I need to speak with Miss. Aphrodine about." Ichabod said, looking at Diana seriously. Without a word the boy complied, running upstairs to the library.  
  
"Can I help you Mr. Crane?" Diana muttered, not moving from where she stood in the doorway as she kept her eyes trained on Ichabod at the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"I owe you an apology Miss. Aphrodine; my behavior earlier was out of line. I hope you can forgive me." Ichabod nodded at her in apology.  
  
"I can... and so long as you quit this nonsense and stop calling my Miss. Aphrodine then I WILL forgive you wholeheartedly sir." She replied.  
  
"What should I call you then?" Ichabod looked confused.  
  
"I think Diana would be alright."  
  
"Then you will of course call me Ichabod?" The constable smiled despite himself.  
  
"Of course." Diana returned the smile. "I'm sincerely pleased to see you in such an improved mood constable."  
  
"Not nearly as pleased as I am to be in an improved mood." Ichabod chuckled, making his was over to Diana. Jonathan was right, it had been kind for her to take them into her house; the least he could do was pretend to be alright.  
  
"Well, Ichabod, as much as I hate to end the only real conversation I've had with you so suddenly, I believe that it should be business before pleasure. Would you mind terribly if we were to take care of business first?"  
  
"Not at all, what business do you mean?" Ichabod wondered as Diana led him to sit by the fire. She sat on the couch elegantly and he stood nearby.  
  
"Well, you are here for a reason. I realize I may not be the first person you would choose to speak with about what's occurred here but I'd like you to understand that Sleepy Hollow has changed a bit since you were here last. I regret to inform you that attempting to talk to the new hierarchy in town would be useless."  
  
"I see... so young Masbeth has told you of last year. Well in that case I suppose you should explain to me what you know." Ichabod agreed, careful to push away his thoughts of Katrina and hide his frown.  
  
"How much do you know already constable?"  
  
"That there have been five victims, three are dead and two are alive. The ones found dead were found in various locations with their throats torn open and the live ones were found near the church. When the living ones awoke two days later they were very weak and very thirsty. I'm afraid that was all the information my superior's had to give me about the incidents."  
  
"Hmm... well I suppose I should start with the deaths. They were not simply found with throats torn open constable... the bodies were mutilated... as for the most recent body found the head was torn completely from the body and was missing for two days before someone located it in the undergrowth of a tree near the church."  
  
"Torn... from the... body?" If possibly Ichabod seemed to grow even paler then before at the mention of beheading.  
  
"Yes. Now the two that are living... they have no recollection of what happened to them at all. Nobody understands quite what has happened to them so I'm afraid that's all the information on those cases I have for you."  
  
"Hmm... I see... is there anyone suspected in either of the cases? Perhaps an animal or some sort..."  
  
"Nothing." Diana looked towards the constable apologetically. "I'm sorry I can't provide you with any useful leads to get you started... if you'll allow me to I'd like to help you with this case though."  
  
"Help me?" Ichabod's mind flashed back to Katrina again and he pushed the thoughts out of his mind. This was not Katrina, this was Diana. "If you wish then I certainly would appreciate your assistance. There's only so much young Masbeth and I can do on our own."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"I'm afraid it's getting to be a little too late to begin any sort of work on this investigation right now." Ichabod mused, looking out the window at the nearly full moon.  
  
"Yes... I'll go make dinner." Diana offered and stood, quickly making her way into the kitchen to start preparing their meal.  
  
"I believe I'll join you in the kitchen if that is alright; I must start recording the information that you have given in my log." Ichabod mentioned as he followed her into the kitchen. His black leather journal as well as a quill and ink well sat there, the journal opened to a fresh page. He was going to begin writing in it before Masbeth had returned from the stable.  
  
"It is quite alright by me if you join me, I don't get company often." Diana admitted as she set about slicing up some vegetables. There was already a cauldron of water set beside the roaring fire where she would be making their dinner. "If you think of anything you need answered I'd be more then happy to tell you what I can."  
  
"Thank you." Ichabod said as he sat before the journal, readying the quill and beginning to write Diana's information. For a long time the scratching of Ichabod's quill and the chopping of Diana's knife were the only sounds in the kitchen. The continuous scratch of the ink tipped feather paused for a moment as Ichabod thought about something the girl had said. "Miss- I mean Diana?"  
  
"Yes Ichabod?" Diana hid a grin as he stumbled over her name by turning to set the water over the fire. Once she was satisfied that she could leave the water to come to a boil she dusted off her hands and came to stand across the table from the constable.  
  
"You mentioned that speaking with the town's hierarchy would be useless... why is that?" Ichabod questioned, looking up at her.  
  
"Oh yes, that..." Diana sighed and sat down in the chair across from Ichabod. She read his writing upside-down for a moment before looking back up at him. "Well first of all, when the hierarchy discovers that you've returned to Sleepy Hollow... let's just say you shouldn't expect them to be particularly pleased with the fact."  
  
"What do you mean?" Ichabod's brow furrowed. Hadn't he saved this town a year ago? Why wouldn't they be welcoming?  
  
"Well the new town elders do not believe in the supernatural... They refuse to acknowledge the existence of ghosts and reanimated corpses or witchcraft."  
  
"Well then what do they believe happened last year?" Ichabod stared at her in amazement, he thought everyone in Sleepy Hollow believed in the supernatural.  
  
"I can't say I know all the details Ichabod; there is a reason why I spend almost all my time out here; away from the town and its inhabitants."  
  
"I'm afraid I don't understand Diana..."  
  
"I'll do my best to explain this to you Ichabod, however you must understand that I only arrived here two months ago so I do not know everything that has happened since you last set foot on this cursed ground."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"Apparently, from what I can gather, the general belief in town now seems to be that you are to blame for most of the deaths." Ichabod began to interrupt but Diana held up a hand to stop him. "It's whispered that when you arrived Lady Van Tassel saw you as the perfect way to insure her plans complete success. She came to your bedroom the very night of your arrival and the two of you coupled. After this the two of you conspired to follow through with her plan so that once it was through you would split the inheritance, your job, along with beheading the very victims you would later analyze, was to conceal the guilt the two of you shared. To do this you would play off of the towns superstition about the dead Hessian and say he rode forth at night to claim heads.  
  
Somewhere along the way it is said that you took interest in Lady Van Tassels step-daughter-"Diana saw Ichabod's eyes fall at the mention of Katrina so she hurried on with the story. "Along with the step-daughter you come up with a new scheme that would be played out later. You kept up pretense before the entire town, claiming things about the horseman and his victims and convincing Lady Van Tassel that you would blame is on the witch of the woods.  
  
When the time came you assured the plan was entirely set up so that the town would believe you. The step-daughter was now set to inherit all the money and you took Jonathan, the girl and Lady Van Tassel out to the windmill. There you planned to burn Lady Van Tassel in the windmill to make it look like an accident but she escaped and ran into the woods. You all ran after her and finally managed to kill her, burying her where nobody would ever find her.  
  
With all this finished you returned to the town claiming that Lady Van Tassel was a witch who raised the horseman from the grave to do her bidding. Then, taking your conspirators and the Van Tassel fortune you all left for New York where you would never again be bothered by your deeds here." Diana explained, hurrying to end the story. At every mention of Katrina she had seen a sadness in Ichabod that she wished she could end for the young man. She felt he should not have to know such pain in his life; his heart was far too pure.  
  
"That is quite an elaborate lie for the head of the town elders to be telling..." Ichabod mumbled, his mind still on Katrina as this all processed. Finally he looked up at Diana, a ghost of pain still in his eyes but the bulk of it hidden. "And the people of Sleepy Hollow believe this lie?" He wondered.  
  
"Yes." Diana nodded solemnly and stood up to finish making the meal. She began adding things to the boiling soup as she continued to converse.  
  
"But the they were all there in the Church when Baltus Van Tassel was murdered. They saw that Katrina, Masbeth and myself were all present. They saw the argument the elders had."  
  
"The argument they contribute to their conspiring as well with Lady Van Tassel and yourself. As for Baltus Van Tassel... yes you all were there but where was the Lady Van Tassel? The headless horseman Baltus saw approaching Lady Van Tassel they say was you. Then you passed the disguise to the Lady before hurrying off to the church yourself to insure your own innocence."  
  
"But they saw that none of the bullets that hit him did any good."  
  
"It was night was it not? Whose to say that the bullets his him? I think you underestimate the power of reassurance Ichabod. When there is a town like Sleepy Hollow, where all the residents live in constant fear of superstition and ghosts, they'll believe any sort of sensible answer that comes their way. They looked upon this new town elder as their savior; shedding light on the situation." She told him again, sitting once more in the chair as she waited for the stew to cook.  
  
"So I suppose that means they'll suspect I'm guilty crimes as well?" Ichabod muttered, writing this all down.  
  
"Probably. Unless you can bring the culprit out and show them. Don't worry about the townsfolk though; so long as you're staying with me you're safe."  
  
"How's that?" Ichabod looked up from his writing.  
  
"They think I have something to do with the recent murders. I actually moved into the town officially one week prior to the murders."  
  
"Well that's doesn't look good for either of us."  
  
"No. But by helping you we can clear both our names. They won't bother us here; they'll of course let me into town to purchase supplies and what not but so long as I don't bother them they don't bother me. With the exception of a few townsfolk; coincidently the only ones who still believe the truth about you, the population fears me, my horse and my home."  
  
"There are still people who believe the truth?" Ichabod looked amazed.  
  
"Most definitely. Of course, to speak out and say so would also condemn them so they say nothing. The only one here who chose to be condemned rather then believe in the elder's lies is the blacksmith. He condemned himself the moment he befriended me and told me the story about you and the horseman."  
  
"If you don't mind me asking, what do you believe happened between me and the Hessian Diana?" Ichabod wondered, stopping his quill for a moment.  
  
"What do I believe? I believe you're very brave to face off against an immortal enemy no matter what the cause. I believe there really is a tree of the dead out in the forest and that beneath it there lies the body of the Hessian mercenary. I also believe that he rode forth at the bidding of a witch one year ago only to be returned to his rest by a pure hearted constable who fought to the end to right all wrongs." Diana smiled at him sweetly; she knew better then to doubt supernatural forces. She had seen more than her fair share of supernatural forces in her day.  
  
"Um...Thank you." Ichabod managed awkwardly as he blushed. He had to admit it was good to know that this woman believed his innocence. 


	5. Authors Note

Authors Note:  
  
I'm sorry guys but this is really only a note for those of you who have expressed interest in the story. Thank you very much for that interest and I will be continuing the story, unfortunately, due to the fact that school is starting up for me again next Monday *growls and shakes fist* I'm not certain how often I will be able to update. Hopefully the next chapter on this particular fic should come within one week of the said Monday however it's up to the amount of work my teachers give me... *sighs* I wish I could get graded for this.  
  
To Shlee Verde: Actually I made up to like chapter 9 but didn't then went over it and didn't like it. I decided to get rid of everything past chapter 3 because those chapters hadn't turned out as I'd hoped. I will be bringing more of Ichabod and Masbeths relationship into the story though, that's one of the reasons I chose to redo it... I forgot to put that element in there and it made me sad. Like I said, the next chapter should come within a week. 


End file.
